Popular chef returning to San Diego to lead Lana restaurant

A popular former San Diego chef is set to take over the kitchen at newly opened Lana restaurant in Solana Beach.

Anthony Wells, who served as executive chef for many years at Michelin-recommended Juniper & Ivy in Little Italy, is returning from the East Coast to become executive chef at the California seasonal coastal cuisine restaurant. He starts Sept. 9.

Wells took a sabbatical from restaurant work last October and moved to the Southeast with his wife, Nicole, to rest, rejuvenate, travel, spend time with his mom in West Virginia and other family in North Carolina.

But after he met Lana owners Travis LeGrand and Mark Wheadon a few months ago and they extended an offer, Wells said he felt like Lana was a great reason to return to San Diego and start cooking again with the local ingredients he loves.

“I met them and I kind of love their story,” Wells said, in a recent phone interview from West Virginia. “They’re owner-operators who are in there every night, working the floor, rolling up their sleeves and inspiring their team and community. They’re doing things the right way, and I really liked that.”

Lana opened June 20 in a 5,000-square-foot South Coast Highway building formerly occupied by California Pizza Kitchen.

Its opening menu was created by London-based consulting chef David McIntyre, but the partners always planned to appoint an onsite executive chef. LeGrand, who has opened 10 restaurants over the years, said Wells was “a perfect match” for the job.

“We want to continue to offer an elevated level of cuisine that guests are surprised to discover,” LeGrand said. “In addition, Anthony loves to work with as many local farmers, fish purveyors and artisans as possible which is a major aspect of our ethos. His culinary approach of simplicity, combined with high levels of technique, is a perfect match for where we are currently and the direction in which we want the restaurant to evolve.”

And Wheadon, a 25-year hotel industry veteran who created Lana’s wine program, said “Wells has solid roots in San Diego and is exactly what we need to build on what chef McIntyre created at Lana.”

A native of West Virginia, Wells moved to San Diego in 2014 to serve as chef de cuisine on the opening team at Juniper & Ivy. He was later elevated to the position of executive chef, and in 2022, the James Beard Foundation nominated him as a semifinalist for the award of Best Chef: California.

At Juniper & Ivy, Wells was known for his passion for cooking with locally-grown, sustainably raised produce and farmed proteins, as well as local seafood and foraged greens. After nine years at Juniper, Wells left in January 2024 for the position of executive chef at Sea & Sky, the new top-floor seafood restaurant at Hotel La Jolla.

But Wells said the corporate restaurant structure was not a good fit for him and he longed for the chance to take a break and achieve some personal goals, like cooking dinner with his wife every night and completing 200 hours of yoga.

“The restaurant industry can take a toll on you and I needed to take some time off,” he said. “I got to travel to different cities in the U.S. and got to cook with friends and family. These things sound very simple but they’re things I didn’t get to do a lot of as a chef because it’s so time-demanding. I knew I was going to get another chef job at some point but also knew I might not have another window of time like this.”

Wells and his wife are now on the road, making their way west with their two English bulldogs and two cats. Although they previously lived in South Park and loved it, Wells said they’re looking forward to moving into a Solana Beach space that’s just a half-mile from the restaurant.

“I love the vibe of Solana Beach,” he said. “You get that small beach town feel, but it’s still in the San Diego area.”

Wells said he’s especially excited for this opportunity with Lana because if things go well, there may be a partnership opportunity with LeGrand and Wheadon in the future as their restaurant company grows.

“I’m excited to start this next chapter of my life,” Wells said. “They want to create a restaurant that is serving San Diego in the sense of being community-focused, and serving as much bounty San Diego can give us in terms of produce and fish, and to have a restaurant that is so delicious you want to come every single night.”

Lana 

Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (brunch) and 5 to 9 p.m. (dinner) Saturdays and Sundays

Where: 437 S. Coast Highway 101, Solana Beach

Phone: 858-286-1211

Online: lanasb.com